


walk through the fire

by ephemeraldt



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fusion, F/F, Friendship, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Plot, ex-friends to Lovers, injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:34:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27762319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephemeraldt/pseuds/ephemeraldt
Summary: The things that lurk in the shadows aren’t lurking anymore, and the dreams are only getting worse.“In every generation, there is a chosen one.” Kim Lip just wishes she had a choice.
Relationships: Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul & Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip, Kim Jiwoo | Chuu/Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip
Comments: 19
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a buffy au, but it doesn’t take place in sunnydale, california. There are elements from sunnydale incorporated into the setting here, but it’s meant to be vague. so keep that in mind!

The first time Kim Lip kills a vampire, she can barely process what’s happening. One second, there’s this otherworldly beast in front of her, with its twisted face and foul grin and sharp, evil eyes. The next, she’s jabbing out the stick - _stake -_ in her hand, and the thing turns to dust. It’s gone before she can even catch her breath. 

That night, alone in her bedroom, she cries, because she knows she can’t run from this anymore. 

She was never one to buy into fate, but she always thought there was a life out there for her. Something better, once she made it through the trials and general shittiness of adolescence. She would keep her head down for the rest of high school, avoid the cliques and the ego battles and the students burning out over grades, and survive. Go to college and find out who she was meant to be. She was supposed to figure it out on her own, one day. It wasn’t supposed to be decided _for_ her. 

But the things that lurk in the shadows aren’t lurking anymore, and her dreams are only getting worse. 

“In every generation, there is a chosen one.” Kim Lip just wishes _she_ had a choice.

When Kim Lip walks into school on Monday, everything is normal. It’s not like she expected anything different. As far as she knows, she was the only one who spent the weekend fighting monsters and coming to terms with her fate as a vampire slayer. 

She starts making her way to her locker, thinking about the chemistry test next period she’s most definitely going to fail, when she hears someone calling her name. Or a version of it.

“Hey! Jungie! Wait up!”

There’s only one person in the world who still calls Kim Lip _Jungie:_ Kim Jiwoo. Kim Lip squares her shoulders and keeps walking, pretending not to hear. It’s _Jiwoo_ though, not exactly one to take a hint. At least, not in Kim Lip’s experience. 

“How was your weekend, Jungie?” Jiwoo asks. 

By now Kim Lip has reached her locker, so she has no choice but to stop walking. She briefly glances in Jiwoo’s direction, taking in her headband and pastel sweater. It’s similar to the outfits Jiwoo used to wear in middle school, and Kim Lip is relieved that popularity hasn’t changed Jiwoo, at least in the style department. Then she remembers it’s not her place to care.

“It was fine,” Kim Lip says, lying through her teeth. She opens her locker, but immediately sees something important is missing. _Shit._ She must have brought it home and forgotten about it. “Do you have an extra chemistry textbook? I have a test next period.”  
  
“Sorry, I’m in advanced physics,” Jiwoo says. Kim Lip resists the urge to roll her eyes. _Of course you are._ “But they have extra textbooks in the library.”  
  
“We have a library?”  
  
“Of course we do, silly,” Jiwoo giggles. “It’s right across from the labs. The new librarian is really cool, too. And pretty.” 

“Thanks,” Kim Lip says, closing her locker door. She accidentally exerts far more force than necessary, denting the metal. _Shit._ So far, her newfound physical strength has been more of a curse than a gift, and she can’t even keep track of the number of items she’s damaged by accident. Luckily, Jiwoo doesn’t seem to notice. 

“I can walk you there!”

“I think I’ll be okay,” Kim Lip replies, heading off in the direction of the labs. Jiwoo rushes to keep up.

“But what if you get lost?”

Kim Lip turns around, facing the other girl directly. Up-close and personal, it’s even harder to keep a neutral face. “I don’t need your help, Jiwoo. Thanks, though.”  
  
She takes off before Jiwoo can get another word in. 

  
When Kim Lip enters the library, it’s like she’s setting foot in another school entirely. The linoleum floors and drab concrete are gone, replaced with mahogany accents, arched ceilings and warm lighting. The air smells like herbs and parchment. It’s nice, but Kim Lip immediately feels on-edge. Something isn’t right. 

She walks to the nearest shelf, but all of the books look older than she is, thick and leather-bound, with titles in languages she doesn’t recognize. 

“Hello?” She calls out, remembering Jiwoo said something about a librarian. “Anyone there?”

Suddenly, a figure emerges from the stacks. It’s a woman, although “girl’ would perhaps be more accurate–there’s no way she’s more than a few years older than Kim Lip. “Yes, I’m the librarian here.”

Kim Lip resists the urge to snort. Aside from the round-framed spectacles on her face, this girl looks nothing like a librarian. Her legs are bare in a pair of denim cutoffs, platinum blonde hair loose around her shoulders, features soft and almost doll-like. It does nothing to help the feeling of suspicion in Kim Lip’s stomach, but she decides to ignore it for now. There’s a stake in her backpack, should the need arise.

“I’m looking for a book,” Kim Lip says. Before she can specify, the librarian vanishes back into the stacks. She reappears a few moments later, holding the thickest book Kim Lip’s ever seen and setting it on a nearby study table. 

Despite every instinct telling her to run, Kim Lip approaches the book. There are no words on the dark red cover; there’s no need for them. The image – a twisted face, a mouth full of fangs – tells Kim Lip everything there is to know. 

But she just spent all _weekend_ dealing with Slayer stuff. That’s the whole reason she has to cram for her test at the very last minute. She’s exhausted, and glancing at the image of the vampire just makes her want to lie down for a nap. “Do they teach you to read minds at librarian school? Because no offense, but you’re not doing a really good job.” The librarian blinks, and Kim Lip decides to just spell it out. “I’m looking for a chemistry textbook. I have a test next period.” 

“Oh!” The librarian exclaims with a small gasp. “Well, this is embarrassing. Give me a minute.” 

She disappears into the stacks again. Kim Lip swallows her frustration, looking down at the book again. The vampire grins back, as if taunting her. _You can’t get away from me._

“Okay, this should be the one.” The librarian moves to the check-out desk, holding what looks like a normal copy of Kim Lip’s chemistry textbook. Kim Lip breathes a sigh of relief. 

“Thanks.”  
  
“No problem,” the librarian says, without looking up. “But just to double-check...you _are_ the Slayer, right?”

Kim Lip swallows. She knows she can’t avoid it anymore, but the idea sure is tempting. “Yeah, I guess I am.”  
  
“That’s what I thought. The Council has screwed up physical descriptions before, though, so it’s important to double-check.” The librarian holds out the textbook, a small smile on her face. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Kim Jungeun.” 

“It’s Kim Lip.”

“Whatever you say. You can call me Jinsoul.” 

“Cool,” Kim Lip says, eyeing the clock on the wall. By the looks of it, she barely has any time left to study. Great. Wonderful. She knows destiny is unavoidable, but it sure would have been nice to have one that didn’t consume every other part of her life. 

“Wait!” Jinsoul calls, as Kim Lip turns to leave. “I’m sure you have questions.”

“I do, but I also have a test, and you know, priorities.”

Jinsoul places her hands on her hips, clearly trying to look stern. Kim Lip fights the urge to laugh. Nothing about Jinsoul is even remotely intimidating. “Your Slayer duties _are_ a priority.”  
  
“Listen, I’m just trying not to fail,” Kim Lip says. But then she thinks about how confusing everything has been lately, and frightening, and how she feels like she doesn’t even know her own body anymore. If she’s being honest, she needs all the help she can get. “But I can come by during lunch?” 

“That’s perfect!” Jinsoul exclaims. “We’ll see you then.”

Kim Lip wants to ask what Jinsoul means by _we,_ but she’s late for class, so she just leaves. Hopefully everything will make sense soon. She isn’t sure what to do, otherwise. 

The questions on Kim Lip’s chemistry test may as well be written in a foreign language. She almost wants to cry, but the classroom is completely silent, and she can’t embarrass herself like that. So she just stares, feeling helpless. 

She’s been feeling helpless a lot, recently. It’s ironic, since she’s supposed to be so strong. 

_This isn’t fair,_ she thinks. She should be able to study for a test without vampires and demons and destiny getting in her way. She should be allowed to lead a normal life, with normal problems. 

_But life isn’t fair,_ her brain supplies. _This is just what you get._

She takes a deep breath and fills in her best guesses for the test questions. There are fifteen minutes left of the class period, but Kim Lip doesn’t like to sit and wallow. And failure still feels like shit, it turns out, even after coming face-to-face with the undead. Kim Lip had hoped it would cancel out, or something, but PEMDAS doesn’t work on her emotions, and she isn’t as strong as she probably should be. 

She hands in her test, grabs her backpack, and heads to the nearest bathroom. Checking the stalls to find them empty, she approaches the nearest sink and splashes cold water on her face. It always helps, when she gets too much inside her own head. She looks up, confronting her reflection in the dirty mirror: her face is red and dripping wet, but her eyes are clear. She takes a deep breath. She has no choice but to keep on going. 

Her hands are gripping the sides of the sink, and slowly, with as much caution as she can manage, she presses her right-hand thumb down: enough to crack the surface of the porcelain, but not so hard as to rupture. Then, she pulls away. 

Control. It’s something she can work on. 

When she opens the door to the library during lunch period, she sees Jinsoul sitting at a study table with an unfamiliar girl. Both of them are eating sandwiches, and Kim Lip tries to ignore her own empty stomach. “Um, hi.” 

Jinsoul looks up. “Kim Lip! Long time no see. This is Choerry, she’s a freshman.” 

“Amateur witch,” the unfamiliar girl – Choerry – says, with a small wave. “I’m sorry I didn’t make you a sandwich. I wasn’t sure what you liked.” 

Kim Lip takes a few seconds to reply, her brain stuck on _amateur witch_. “Don’t worry about it.” 

“I was skeptical about letting Choerry help with the mission, you know, since she’s so young,” Jinsoul says. “But I’m young too, and I wouldn’t be here if the Council didn’t take a chance on me. So it’s only fair.” 

Kim Lip takes a seat next to Choerry, who offers her a tupperware of apple slices. Kim Lip takes one. “Mission?” 

“Right, I forgot to give you the big spiel.” Jinsoul takes a deep breath. “In every generation, there is a chosen one. She alone-”

“Will stand against the vampires, the demons, et cetera, et cetera. I know this part,” Kim Lip interrupts. She’s heard it plenty of times in her dreams, the ones so clear they almost feel real. The ones that leave her gasping as she wakes up. “I guess that’s me.”

“Yes, exactly. And for as long as there’s been Slayers, there’s been Watchers, to guide, train, and assist the Slayer in her fight against evil.” Jinsoul’s face breaks out into a beaming smile across the table. “I’m your Watcher, Kim Lip.” 

“Think of her as your Yoda,” Choerry chimes in. 

“Huh,” Kim Lip says, eyeing Jinsoul up and down. “They couldn’t have sent someone with more....experience?” 

Instantly, Jinsoul’s smile fades. “I’ll have you know I’ve undergone _years_ of training, and was at the top of my class at the academy.” Something in her expression softens slightly, as if she could suddenly sense Kim Lip’s nervousness. “Look. There’s a lot that you don’t know about this whole Slayer thing. I’m here to make it easier. I just need you to trust me.” 

Kim Lip steps back, taking in the two people in front of her. She knew she needed help with the whole Slayer thing–she barely understands her powers, and still has trouble telling which end of the stake is which. But she didn’t expect help to come in the forms of a freshman and Malibu Barbie Special Librarian Edition. 

Still, she’s fed up with the dreams, the visions, the trenchcoat-clad figures who make vague statements only to disappear into the mist. She has a lot of questions, and finally, there’s someone offering her some answers. 

“Okay,” she says. “I’m in.” 

Kim Lip’s mind is racing as she heads to her next class. For a full minute, she doesn’t even process Jiwoo calling her name. Or that’s the excuse she settles on. 

“Jungie, hey, wait up!” Jiwoo grabs her by the elbow, and Kim Lip does her best not to shove her away. “I’ve been calling your name!”

“Listen, Jiwoo, I’d really appreciate some time alone right now,” Kim Lip mumbles, looking down at her boots. “I’m kind of dealing with a lot, and-”

“A lot?” Jiwoo interrupts. Her upbeat tone doesn’t change as she continues. “You mean like vampires?” 

Kim Lip feels her jaw drop, like she’s in a cartoon. If she could see her face, it would be white as a sheet. _“How did you-”_

“I heard you in the library,” Jiwoo says.

“You were _spying_ on me?”

“No, I wasn’t.” 

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying!” Jiwoo protests. “Just because _you_ didn’t know we had a library until today doesn’t mean no one else did.” 

“But you eavesdropped,” Kim Lip says, her anger refusing to subside. Jiwoo isn’t supposed to know about any of this. “That was a private conversation.”

“And how was I supposed to know that, Jungeun?” Jiwoo retorts. “You were having it in the middle of a public space, in a public school, in _public.”_

Kim Lip doesn’t exactly have a comeback to that, so she takes another route. “Whatever. Just forget what you heard, okay?” 

“What?” Jiwoo asks. She sounds genuinely confused, and Kim Lip’s heart sinks. “But I might be able to help.”  
  
“Believe me, you won’t.” 

Kim Lip starts to walk away, but Jiwoo stays on her heels. “I’ve been doing research on the supernatural for months now. I really think I could be useful to you guys.”  
  
“This isn’t about you,” Kim Lip says, spinning around and causing Jiwoo to halt in her tracks. “I don’t really know what it’s about, but I know it’s not about you. So you can focus on your friends, and your clubs, and your life, and just...leave me alone. Okay?” 

Kim Lip turns away, continuing her walk to class. This time, Jiwoo doesn’t follow. 

Jungeun and Jiwoo had been best friends, once. But that was before they got to high school and Jiwoo got involved with every club and activity under the sun, to the point where some people were under the impression that she ran the school. Meanwhile, Jungeun started having strange, prophetic dreams, dreams that would only get worse, and had to entertain surprise visits from people claiming to be from “the Council” or “the powers that be” trying to lecture her about her supposed destiny. Jiwoo’s popularity skyrocketed, while Jungeun started wearing black and going by Kim Lip and becoming more and more of a loner. It’s not like she’s resentful, though. Things are probably better this way. 

Recently, Jiwoo seemed to have gotten the idea that they should be friends again. It’s been a real inconvenience. Kim Lip has enough stress in her life. She doesn’t need more. 

The very next day, Jinsoul walks into the library with a grim look on her face.  
  
“Man dead,” she says, placing a newspaper clipping on the table between Kim Lip and Choerry. “On the west side of town. Body was found completely maimed, not pretty. Authorities are saying it was a wild animal.” 

“But you have reason to believe otherwise,” Choerry says, sitting up straighter. 

“Well, what kind of wild animal turns a man’s eyes completely gray?” Jinsoul asks. “It seems to me we’ve got some kind of demon on our hands.”  
  
“Woah woah woah,” Kim Lip interrupts. She’s been tipping back her chair, and leans forward so the legs hit the floor with an abrupt clatter. “What do you mean by _our_ hands? Why is this our responsibility?”

“Demons are our responsibility now,” Jinsoul says slowly, as if speaking to a child. “Well, specifically _your_ responsibility, but we’re here to help.”  
  
“I can start on research,” Choerry chimes in. 

“That’s a good idea. We don’t know anything about this creature, and for now, all we can do is keep an eye on things.” Jinsoul turns back to Kim Lip. “Hopefully we’ll have a bit more time for training before you have to face anything too hardcore.” 

“Right, I have to learn to punch stuff first,” Kim Lip says. 

“Well, yes. But not right now.” Jinsoul pulls out a large, leather-bound book from behind the librarian’s desk. “First, let’s go over the seven ways to recognize a creature of the night.” 

Kim Lip groans. _Seriously? They have textbooks for vampire slaying?_

“And then you can punch stuff.”

Kim Lip throws her arms in the air in mock victory. Choerry giggles. Jinsoul snorts.

Over the weekend, the team has their first stakeout. 

“I just don’t understand why we’re here,” Kim Lip shouts over the music. 

Despite training with Jinsoul every day after school, Kim Lip isn’t sure how vampire hunting is meant to go down, especially in an environment like The Bronze–a nightclub packed with teenagers and young adults, all drinking and dancing and making noise. It’s hard to concentrate on anything, let alone the so-called mission. 

“There’s been several mysterious disappearances here these past few weeks,” Jinsoul says. “And as you know, mysterious disappearance around these parts tends to mean not mysterious at all.” 

“Right,” Kim Lip says. One thing she’d learned the past week is that their town apparently sat on a “hellmouth,” aka a gateway to a hell dimension, which explained the high numbers of vampire and demon activity in the area. It seemed a bit unfair that she, a teenage girl, was the sole person responsible for protecting humanity from all that nastiness, but she’d learned not to question the system. Jinsoul usually just shrugged and said “that’s just the way it is.” 

“I can see why the vamps like this place,” Choerry says, taking a sip of Coke. She wasn’t the type wasn’t the type to take advantage of The Bronze’s infamously lax alcohol restrictions, for which Kim Lip is grateful. Choerry is a good kid, and Kim Lip is grateful to have her on the team, even if the only “magic” she’s proven to master is making a pencil levitate for three seconds. “It’s dark, sweaty, full of shadowy corners...”  
  
“I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Kim Lip says. “I mean, you can’t tell if someone’s a vampire until they, you know, reveal themselves in all their wrinkly forehead glory.”  
  
“But you _can,”_ Jinsoul insists. “One of the Slayer’s abilities is to sense when vampires are near, even if they’re still in their human form.” 

Kim Lip resists the urge to roll her eyes. A lot of Jinsoul’s “Watcher advice” often sounded like it was lifted from one of Kim Lip’s mother’s new-age pamphlets. “And how am I supposed to, you know, tap into that?” 

“Just _try.”_

So Kim Lip looks around the dance hall, seeing if anyone in the throng of people triggers her Slayer instinct, or whatever. Her gaze lands on a girl standing by the bar, not because she thinks the girl might be a vampire, but because she recognizes her short hair and confident stance. It’s Yves, Jiwoo’s best friend. If Yves is here, Jiwoo can’t be far behind. 

The thought sends a jolt of worry up Kim Lip’s spine. If what Jinsoul says is true, this place is dangerous. There could be vampires or demons or god-knows-what-else skulking in the shadows, waiting to drag sweet girls to their deaths. Kim Lip has to find Jiwoo, tell her that she isn’t safe here, that she has to _go home-_

“You okay, Lippie? You look kinda sick,” Choerry says. 

“It’s probably just her Slayer instincts,” Jinsoul says, sounding excited. “Are you sensing anything?” 

Kim Lip ignores them, scanning the room for any sign of Jiwoo. Finally, she spots a familiar bangs-and-ponytail combo on the other side of the dance floor. Jiwoo is dancing with some guy a few heads taller than either of them, and Kim Lip’s pulse quickens. Jiwoo’s partner is wearing an outfit that Kim Lip’s father might wear if he was trying to be “hip with the kids,” and normally Kim Lip would make a joke, but not now. Not here. Not when she knows that out-of-date fashion is a telltale sign of the undead, and Jiwoo’s life is on the line. 

“V-vampire,” she stutters, causing Jinsoul and Choerry to instantly spring up from their seats. “Orange sports coat. Towards the back. Dancing with the small brunette in the yellow dress.”  
  
They make a beeline for the pair, but before they finish crossing the dance floor, Kim Lip sees the man drag Jiwoo outside through an emergency exit. Her stomach drops and she breaks into an even faster sprint, pushing the door aside and spilling out into the brisk night air. 

Upon first glance, the back alley is empty. However, Kim Lip can hear a faint noise coming from behind a row of dumpsters. When she approaches, the scene is like something out of a horror movie: the vampire has knocked Jiwoo to the ground, bared fangs inching towards her neck. Kim Lip knows she doesn’t have time to think, or worry if her few days of training will be enough. She barely processes the situation before delivering a swift kick to the side of the vampire’s head. 

The vampire curses, disoriented, and Kim Lip uses the opportunity to pull her stake out of its hiding place in her boot. When the vampire turns to face her, she lunges straight for its heart. A few seconds later, the creature crumbles into dust. 

Kim Lip notices her hand is shaking, but she can’t tell if it’s because of stress, anger, adrenaline, or all three. She decides it doesn’t matter. She has more important things to focus on. 

“Are you alright?” She asks, crouching down to face Jiwoo, still lying on the pavement. “You didn’t hit your head, did you?”

“Nah,” Jiwoo says. Her voice sounds surprisingly steady, especially compared to Kim Lip’s. “God, what a creep. I was dancing with him _to be nice_ and then when I don’t want to do it anymore, he drags me outside and tries to kill me.” 

“Well, he _was_ a vampire,” Kim Lip says, with a relieved laugh. As long as Jiwoo is okay, nothing else matters. “I think dragging you outside and trying to kill you was probably his prerogative from the beginning.”  
  
Jiwoo shrugs. “You would know more than me, wouldn’t you?” She eyes the stake in Kim Lip’s hand, and Kim Lip suddenly feels embarrassed. “Nice moves.” 

“It was nothing.”

“ _Nothing?_ Don’t be humble,” Jiwoo says, lightly shoving Kim Lip’s shoulder. “You saved my life.”

“Let’s get you some water or something,” Kim Lip says, ignoring the “you saved my life” comment for the sake of her own well-being. She helps Jiwoo up and off the ground. When she turns around, she nearly bumps into Jinsoul. She’d forgotten her and Choerry were even there. 

“Um, guys er- team, this is Jiwoo.” 

“I’m Jungeun’s friend,” Jiwoo says, with a wave. 

Jinsoul raises her eyebrows at Jiwoo’s use of the name, but she must be in a kind mood, because she doesn’t comment on it. “Of course, I know you. You’re like the only student who actually uses the library, besides these two crazy kids.” Kim Lip and Choerry let out a groan at being called “crazy kids,” but Jinsoul ignores them. “You okay? Not too scratched up?” 

“Not scratched up at all,” Jiwoo says. “Jungeun came just in the nick of time.” 

“You should still get some rest, though,” Kim Lip says. “Vampires are- they can be a lot.”  
  
“Right,” Jinsoul says, clapping her hands as if to signal her transition to “adult supervision” mode. “Kim Lip, why don’t you make sure Jiwoo gets home safe. I’ll give Choerry a lift,” Jinsoul says. The glint in Jinsoul’s eye suggests she thinks she’s doing Kim Lip some big favor, and Kim Lip doesn’t really have the heart to correct her. 

“Come on,” she says, beckoning Jiwoo towards the street. “My car’s this way.” 

They don’t say much on the ride home. Kim Lip thinks there’s maybe too much to say, and it’s not like either of them know where to start. They don’t bring up how Kim Lip didn’t even know how to drive the last time they hung out together, or that she still has Jiwoo’s address memorized despite not having been there in years. 

“So what do your parents think about the whole vampire slayer thing?” Jiwoo asks, once they reach her street. Kim Lip swallows. She’s not used to questions about the topic, and she isn’t sure how to answer any of them. She isn’t even sure how she feels, most of the time. 

“They don’t know,” she says. “They’re just thrilled I suddenly decided to get a social life.”

Jiwoo lets out a laugh, even though it wasn’t really a joke, and Jiwoo’s laugh is infectious, so Kim Lip laughs too. 

“Remember to drink water!” Kim Lip calls, rolling down the window when Jiwoo leaves the car to walk towards her house. Jiwoo turns around and flashes a thumbs up. 

And Kim Lip still feels overwhelmed by the night’s events, and her destiny still feels like a ceaseless weight on her shoulders, and she knows that killing one vampire doesn’t make much of a difference when you’re standing at the mouth of hell.

But she smiles the whole drive home, in spite of it all. 

When Jungeun walks into the library on Monday, she doesn’t expect to see Jiwoo there, poring over a leather-bound book with one hand and holding one of Choerry’s sandwiches in the other. But that’s exactly what she sees. 

“What? We need help with research, and she offered,” Jinsoul says, when Kim Lip shoots her a how-did-you-let-this-happen look. “I figured it wasn’t a big deal, since she already knows about the Slayer thing.” 

“Right,” Kim Lip mutters. “Not a big deal.” 

Except, to Kim Lip, Jiwoo _is_ a big deal. Jiwoo has always been a big deal, ever since she was old enough to know how to suppress her feelings–a difficult thing to do when she apparently has to save the world at the same time. 

But along with not being able to take a hint, Jiwoo also can’t take no for an answer. And watching her already burying herself in research, Kim Lip knows it would be pointless to try and exclude her now. 

“So mysterious attacks were on a decline, but recently...oh hey, Jungie!” Jiwoo looks up as Kim Lip approaches the study table. 

“I see you’ve acquainted yourself.”

“Just looking over some numbers with Choerry.”

“She’s been a huge help,” Choerry chimes in. “She even made charts.”

“Charts, huh?” Kim Lip says. She catches Jiwoo’s eye, and Jiwoo smiles sheepishly. They both know that Jiwoo ignored Kim Lip’s order to leave her alone, but they also know that things are different now, post-Bronze. There’s no use holding a grudge. Kim Lip’s always been terrible at it, anyway. 

“Welcome to the team.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to everyone who reads this incredibly niche piece of writing. it's very dear to me so i appreciate you.

On Thursday night, they go patrolling. 

“What does patrolling mean, again?” Jiwoo asks. Kim Lip notices her teeth are chattering. No one had told her patrolling was an outdoor activity. Wordlessly, Kim Lip shrugs her leather jacket off and drapes it over Jiwoo’s shoulders. 

“It means we hang out in graveyards and wait for vamps to attack us. Jinsoul and I run drills, Choerry does homework.” 

“It’s _super_ fun,” Choerry says, with a note of faux enthusiasm. Kim Lip is a little impressed–she didn’t think sarcasm was something the freshman was capable of. 

They set up their small camp next to one of the mausoleums. Choerry spreads a picnic blanket on the grass, beckoning Jiwoo to join her. Meanwhile, Jinsoul shrugs her backpack off her shoulders, retrieving a pair of punch mitts from the large pocket. “You ready, kid?” 

“Don’t call me kid,” Kim Lip says, delivering a clean right hook to Jinsoul’s left mitt. 

“Why not?”   
  
“Because you’re only like two years older than me, and it sounds ridiculous. Just like me calling you old lady would be ridiculous.” To emphasize her point, Kim Lip delivers three more punches– _rightleftright._

She’s always been athletic, but she’d never considered physical activity as something she particularly loved doing. That’s changed, though, as her powers have grown over the past couple months. Now, she never feels more alive than when she’s moving, whether it be fighting evil or simple exercise. And ever since she started training with Jinsoul, her strength no longer feels like a burden beyond her control. It feels like _hers._ And she loves using it. 

Jinsoul bends down slightly, moving the target. Kim Lip takes a few steps back, giving herself some space. She runs towards Jinsoul, leaping into an aerial cartwheel and making contact with the mitt as she lands. From the picnic blanket, Jiwoo lets out a squeal of amazement. 

“I know you have an audience, but remember, only get fancy when necessary,” Jinsoul says. 

Kim Lip opens her mouth to retort, but is interrupted by a rustling in the bushes. Instinctively, she reaches for her stake. Jinsoul pulls out her pocket knife, and Choerry starts folding up the picnic blanket. 

“Show yourself, freak,” Kim Lip calls out. The bushes rustle again, and a figure stumbles out from the shadows. 

It’s a vampire–that’s obvious, judging by the trademark fangs and bumpy forehead. Kim Lip’s first instinct is to attack, but something tells her to hold back. It’s the creature’s eyes, she realizes after a few moments. Instead of the typical red or yellow, this vampire’s eyes are silver with dilated pupils, giving the creature a dazed expression. It makes no move to attack, but rather hangs back, as if waiting for a signal. 

“I am the Slayer,” Kim Lip says, in her best attempt at an Authoritative voice. “And I, um, I command you to speak!”

“What are you _doing,”_ Jinsoul hisses. 

“Trust me,” Kim Lip replies, and takes a step closer to the vampire. “Say something, creature.” 

“Not a creature…” the vampire murmurs. Its voice is faint, and its words are slurred slightly. “Merely a servant....”  
  
“Servant to _who?”_

“She will rise…,” the vampire drones on. “When the moon is full, she will rise...and she will devour the world whole.”

Kim Lip feels a chill travel up her spine, but she does her best not to let it show. She tightens her grip on her stake. “ _Who_ will rise?” 

The vampire looks Kim Lip straight in the eyes. “Lupina.” 

And then, it’s like a switch is flipped. The creature’s eyes transform from silver to blood red, and it lunges straight for Kim Lip. She dodges out of the way in a split second, using the momentum to deliver a roundhouse kick to the creature’s chest. The creature stumbles, and Kim Lip takes the opportunity, punching it in the face before planting her stake in its heart. 

“Nice job,” Jinsoul says. Sometime during the altercation, she ended up on the ground. When she stands, the knees of her jeans are covered in grass stains. 

Kim Lip glances back at the quickly dissipating cloud of dust, where the vampire had stood only a few moments prior. “Lupina,” she repeats, mind racing. “Lupina. Someone write that down. Where are Jiwoo and Choerry?”  
  
“Right here!” comes Choerry’s voice, as her and Jiwoo crawl out from behind a rather large headstone. “And I’m on it.” 

As Choerry reaches for a pen in her backpack, Kim Lip finds herself suddenly engulfed in a tight hug. She lets out an embarrassing yelp of surprise, and Jiwoo pulls away, grinning. 

“What was that for?” Kim Lip sputters. She hopes she isn’t blushing. 

“That was so _cool,_ Jungie.”  
  
Kim Lip attempts to shrug, but it comes off more like a shiver. “It was nothing.”

“No, it was brave. You were brave.”

Next to them, Jinsoul clears her throat. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” 

“No, of course not,” Kim Lip says. She doesn’t look at Jiwoo; she knows she would give herself away. 

“Good, because Choerry has curfew.” Jinsoul slings her backpack back over her shoulders. It makes her look even younger, and Kim Lip wonders, not for the first time, where Jinsoul goes at night. If she has friends in the area, or roommates, or if she lives alone. Kim Lip can never bring herself to ask, though. They’ve gotten close over the past few weeks, but not close enough for personal questions. Not yet. “We’ll continue this in the morning.” 

“Right, everyone get a good night’s sleep,” Kim Lip says. “We’ve got a mission.” 

The next day, Kim Lip finds Choerry alone in the library, furiously typing away at a laptop. Looking over her shoulder, Kim Lip sees pages of notes, along with several tabs open. HOST REQUIRED??? Is written out in all-caps, and Kim lip reminds herself to ask about it later. “Seems like you’ve been at this for quite a while.” 

“Just a few hours,” Choerry says, not even flinching at Kim Lip’s sudden appearance. “Jiwoo said she’d take care of the books, so I’m in charge of the online research.”

“Be careful,” Kim Lip says, taking a seat across the table. “There’s a lot of sketchy people on the Internet.” 

Choerry rolls her eyes. “Shut up. It’s bad enough that Jinsoul thinks she’s my Mom. I don’t need you trying to supervise me too.” 

“It’s cute. She wants to keep you safe,” Kim Lip says, and then, because she’s always been curious, “how did you guys meet, anyway?” 

“I came in asking for books on magic, and she offered to help.” Choerry shrugs. “She’s not really good at keeping secrets.”

Choerry returns to her research, and Kim Lip grabs the nearest book, trying to be helpful. She opens the cover, sees everything is written in Latin, and closes it immediately. She’s probably better off sticking to what she knows best: staking, punching, kicking, the occasional cartwheel. 

“So, find anything interesting?” Kim Lip asks, once boredom gets the best of her. 

“Yes, actually,” Choerry says. “There’s nothing on the Internet about the name Lupina, but there is some information about a moon demon. Apparently it gains more power in the waxing period, and reaches its ultimate strength when the moon is full. Then it tries to destroy the world, blah blah blah.” 

“Sounds freaky,” Kim Lip says. “What does it look like?”  
  
“That’s the thing. No one seems to agree on its physical appearance. I wonder…” Choerry’s voice trails off as she begins to type furiously. Kim Lip watches, feeling a pang of pride and also something else. Choerry has shown to be completely dedicated to the mission since the beginning, and Kim Lip is grateful for all her hard work, but at the same time, Choerry is so _young._ Kim Lip barely got a chance to be a normal teenager herself. She doesn’t want to rob someone else of that opportunity.

“Choerry, this isn’t...too much, is it?” Kim Lip asks, cautiously. 

“No, I don’t think so,” Choerry says. “But that’s not really what you’re asking, is it?” 

_She’s smart,_ Kim Lip thinks. “I guess I just worry. I don’t want this to be your whole life, you know? Because it doesn’t have to be. You should have friends and interests and problems outside of saving the world.” 

“Well if _that’s_ what you’re worried about, you can relax,” Choerry says, with a small smile. “I’m actually pretty good at time management. And I happen to like saving the world.”  
  
 _That makes one of us._ “I’m glad to hear that.” 

“No worries,” Choerry says. “But as long as we’re talking about our personal lives, what’s up with you and Jiwoo?” 

Kim Lip flushes. “Nothing is up with me and Jiwoo. What do you even mean by that?”

“You two seem pretty close,” Choerry says, all innocence. Kim Lip sees right through it.

“We’re friends. Old friends.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say.” 

At the end of the day, Kim Lip organizes her backpack. She stacks her textbooks in her locker and sorts all her loose papers into folders. Her eye catches the grade on the top of her history quiz, and she winces. History is normally her best subject, but this grade would lead anyone to assume the opposite. And this is her third failed assignment this month. Her parents are pretty oblivious, but they’re going to notice something’s up, eventually. She does her best to shrug off the thought. 

It isn’t fair, she thinks, that she has to sacrifice her student life for her Slayer duties. But as she’s learned, a lot of things about being a Slayer aren’t exactly fair. 

“Jungie! Over here!” 

Kim Lip turns around to see Jiwoo standing by the water fountain. Next to her is Yves: beautiful, intimidating Yves. Kim Lip takes a deep breath and walks over. “Hey.” 

“Hey,” Jiwoo says, with her beaming Jiwoo smile. Kim Lip thinks Jiwoo’s smile is the most powerful thing in the world, and she wonders if it alone might be enough to turn vampires to dust. It certainly seems capable of vanquishing evil. “Um, Yves’ car broke down, so she can’t give me a ride. Would you mind?” 

“Of course not,” Kim Lip says. She can feel Yves’ eyes on her, but she tries to ignore it. There’s no reason Yves’ stare should bother her, anyway. 

“This is your Dad’s old truck, right? I think I remember,” Jiwoo asks, as they pull out of the school parking lot. 

“Yeah,” Kim Lip says. “He got a new car, so he gave me this one.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Jiwoo nod. “It suits you.” 

When they arrive at Jiwoo’s house, Jiwoo doesn’t move to get out of the car, appearing deep in thought. Kim Lip is about to ask what’s wrong, when Jiwoo speaks. 

“Do you want to come inside?” 

Kim Lip isn’t sure she heard that correctly. “Sorry, what?” 

“We could hang out. You know, like old times.” Jiwoo gives Kim Lip a playful nudge. “Give yourself a break from all the monster fighting.” 

Kim Lip knows she could use a break, but spending the evening alone with Jiwoo doesn’t exactly sound like stress relief. She’d almost prefer the monster fighting. At least that’s something she’s good at, and knows how to do. 

But she can’t say no when Jiwoo is looking at her like that, all smiley and hopeful. “Sure, why not.” 

She doesn’t know what to expect as she follows Jiwoo through the house and up the stairs to her bedroom. It’s been years since she’s been here, and so much has changed since then. It would be naive, Kim Lip thinks, to assume that Jiwoo’s room would be the same as she remembers. 

But when she steps inside, it’s like nothing has changed. Everywhere she looks is a memory - the braided rug on the floor where they used to play board games, the scratched paint on the wall from when they stuck posters with duct tape, the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling that Kim Lip used to count as she fell asleep. There are new things, too, of course, like the stack of books on the supernatural on the nightstand, but they don’t do much to lessen the sudden ache in Kim Lip’s chest. 

“Sorry it’s so messy,” Jiwoo says, sitting down on her bed. “If I had known you were coming over, I would have cleaned up.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Kim Lip says. She walks over to the desk, where a photo of Jiwoo and Yves with their arms around each other sits proudly in a frame. “You two are close, huh?”

“We’re practically sisters,” Jiwoo says. “She’s a little too protective over me sometimes, but I love her.” 

“Cute.” Kim Lip sits down in Jiwoo’s desk chair. 

What follows next is...silence. 

Awkward silence. 

Kim Lip racks her brain for something to say. She keeps coming up blank. “I don’t know how to do this,” she confesses, finally. 

“Do what?” Jiwoo asks.

“Hang out with you.” 

“Oh.”

“It’s just...it’s been so long, you know?” 

Jiwoo nods, not quite meeting Kim Lip’s gaze. “I understand. We drifted apart. It’s been…” 

“It feels like forever.” 

“But I want to be friends again,” Jiwoo says. For some reason, it hurts to see her so vulnerable. “I missed you. I’m sorry if that’s uncomfortable to hear, but I missed you a lot. I’m not good at holding my feelings in.” 

Kim Lip suddenly finds herself overcome with tenderness for the other girl. “It’s okay,” she says. “I want to be friends again too.” 

Jiwoo grins, and Kim Lip can’t help grinning too. 

_Kick. Kick. Dodge. Kick. Kick._

“Your roundhouse is good,” Jinsoul says, panting. They’ve been training for three hours, and keeping up with a Slayer is clearly hard work. “You just need to get sharper on your butterfly.”

“I’m tired,” Kim Lip protests, reaching for her water bottle. She’s so sweaty that her tank top feels stuck to her body.

“Okay, we can take a break,” Jinsoul says. Kim Lip collapses in an empty chair. Jinsoul walks to the library desk to straighten up some things. 

“Where do you go at night, by the way?” Kim Lip asks. 

“Why do you ask?” 

“What, I’m not allowed to care about you?”

Jinsoul rolls her eyes. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“So you’re not going to tell me.” 

“I like to keep a little mystery,” Jinsoul says, with a wink that comes off more dorky than intended. “Besides, I promise the answer isn’t really interesting.” 

Kim Lip disagrees. Jinsoul is interesting. She has all the nerdy mannerisms you’d expect of a librarian-slash-watcher, but dresses like a Pacsun window display. “What about the outfits, then?” 

“Oh, that,” Jinsoul says. “It’s to blend in. There was a miscommunication with the Council. When I found out I’d be going undercover in a high school, I thought they meant as a _student._ Little did I know they found me this librarian job.” Jinsoul shrugs. “I like it though. It suits me.” 

“It does,” Kim Lip agrees. “And the clothes make you look cool.”

“Alright, enough kissing up,” Jinsoul says. She grabs the strike shield from where she’d placed it in the corner. “Let’s get back to work.” 

“Fine,” Kim Lip says. She makes a big show of being annoyed, but secretly, she doesn’t mind spending time with Jinsoul. She’s pretty cool, for a librarian and everything. 

The team is knee-deep in research when Choerry bursts in, dragging a confused-looking girl behind her. “We have a library?” the new girl asks, blinking as she takes in her surroundings. Jinsoul disappears into the stacks, muttering indignantly under her breath. 

“Choerry, I’m all for new faces, but if we add any more members to the team I’m going to start charging dues,” Kim Lip says. Next to her, Jiwoo giggles. 

“This is Chaewon,” Choerry says. “Her best friend’s been acting weird.”

“I think she’s possessed,” Chaewon says. She has a cool, indifferent demeanor about her, but Kim Lip can see genuine fear in her eyes. “Can you guys help?” 

Kim Lip and Jiwoo exchange glances. “We can try,” Kim Lip says slowly. “Can you take us to her?” 

The house looks dilapidated from the front. Rotting floorboards, peeling paint, smashed windows. Kim Lip refuses to believe anyone actually lives in it. 

“She spends all her time here,” Chaewon says. “I don’t know what she’s doing, but it scares me.” 

Kim Lip turns the knob, and surprisingly, the door gives. The inside of the house is dark and dusty, with plastic sheets draped over furniture. 

“Olivia?” Chaewon calls, pushing past Kim Lip to walk towards the stairs. “I know you’re up there. It’s me.” 

Kim Lip, Jiwoo, Choerry, and Jinsoul follow her upstairs. 

What they encounter is disturbing. A young girl with long black hair sits cross-legged in the middle of an empty room, eyes closed. An older man with silver eyes lurks in the corner, and as soon as they walk in, he bursts into hysterical laughter. Kim Lip feels a warning light go off in her head - maybe it’s her Slayer senses finally coming to fruition, but she knows immediately the man is a vampire. She grabs her stake out of her boot, and makes a beeline for the man’s chest. He bursts into dust, and Kim Lip breathes a sigh of relief.

Then, the girl on the floor’s eyes open. A sick grin spreads across her face, and Kim Lip once again feels uneasy. “Hello Slayer,” she says. Her voice sounds strange and echoey, like it’s coming from somewhere else. 

“Olivia,” Chaewon cries out. “This isn’t funny anymore.” 

The girl, Olivia, ignores her. “I was hoping keeping a vampire here would lure you to me. But I see now that it wasn’t necessary. Precious little Chaewon brought you here all on her own.” Olivia turns to Chaewon, voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s so sweet that you’re concerned for your best friend.”

Chaewon starts to cry. “I don’t know what you are,” she sniffles. “But you’re _not_ Olivia.” 

“No, of course not,” the girl says with a short laugh. “Her body is merely a place for me to stay until the full moon comes around. Then, I’ll return to my true form.” 

“You’re Lupina,” Kim Lip says, the realization hitting her all at once. Behind her, she hears Choerry gasp. “You’re the moon demon.”

“Bingo,” the girl says with a sick smile. “And as soon as I get you out of my way, I can focus on my ascension.” 

Kim Lip reaches for the dagger strapped to the inside of her leather jacket. “We’ll see about that.” 

Olivia’s eyes start to glow bright silver, shining from the inside out. Kim Lip gapes as the girl begins to levitate. Olivia waves a hand forward, and Kim Lip suddenly finds herself thrust backwards by some sort of magical force. The dagger spills onto the floor, and Kim Lip lunges for it. As she does, Olivia sends another wave of magic force her way. It misses her - barely. Kim Lip breathes a sigh of relief.

Until she turns around and sees it hit Jiwoo instead. 

Kim Lip hears a pained, stomach-churning scream, and she isn’t sure what she realizes first: that Jiwoo is bleeding, or that the scream had come from her. All she knows is that they need to get out of that house as soon as possible.

Luckily, Jinsoul seems to have the same idea. She helps Jiwoo to her feet with one hand, and uses the other to beckon the group towards the exit. “Let’s go. We’re not prepared for a fight right now.” 

They spill down the stairs in a mad scramble. Kim Lip glances back, expecting Lupina to be right behind them - but she isn’t. 

“How do you know she won’t follow?” Kim Lip asks, as they dash out of the house and onto the front porch. 

“She can’t,” Choerry says. “She’s probably wiped out after all that magic. According to my research, she’s actually pretty weak until the full moon hits.”

“Did some serious damage here though,” Jinsoul says, gesturing to Jiwoo, who’s limp in her arms. Kim Lip feels her stomach drop to somewhere below her knees. Jiwoo is hurt. Jiwoo is _hurt,_ and she could have stopped it, she _should have-_

“We need to get her to a hospital,” Jinsoul says. “I can take her. Choerry, come with me. Kim Lip, make sure Chaewon gets home safe.” 

Kim Lip wants to protest. She doesn’t want to leave Jiwoo’s side. But she knows she’s not in a state to be much help right now, so reluctantly, she nods. 

“I’ll be okay, Jungie,” Jiwoo says weakly, as Jinsoul steers her to her car. “Don’t worry about me.” 

Kim Lip forces herself not to look at Jiwoo’s leg. “I will.”

“I know.” 

When Jinsoul’s car drives off, taking Jiwoo with it, Kim Lip feels like crying. She looks over at Chaewon and sees the younger girl is already there.  
  
“She’s gone,” Chaewon sobs, and Kim Lip knows Chaewon isn’t talking about Jiwoo. She’s talking about Olivia. 

“It’ll be okay,” Kim Lip says, because she’s the Slayer, and she’s supposed to be the hero, even though she’s never felt less like a hero in her life. This goddamn job never goddamn stops. “Let’s get you home.” 

Kim Lip brings flowers to the hospital. She wonders if daisies are still Jiwoo’s favorites. 

When she gets to the room, Yves is leaning outside the entrance. “Oh. It’s you,” Yves says flatly. Yves is holding pink roses. Kim Lip thinks Jiwoo probably likes those better. 

“Is she okay?” 

“She will be,” Yves says. “It’ll be a couple of weeks before she can walk without crutches, though.” 

Kim Lip’s body feels flooded with guilt. This is all her fault. Lupina had been aiming for _her. She_ was the reason Jiwoo was in the hospital. _She_ was the reason Jiwoo had been in a dangerous situation in the first place. 

“You have something to do with this, don’t you?” Yves asks. It sounds more like a statement than a question though. “She’s been acting weird ever since she started hanging out with you and your little witch clique. I don’t know what you guys are up to, but it isn’t very safe, is it?”  
  
“I didn’t mean for her to get hurt,” Kim Lip stutters out, holding in tears. 

“But she’s still hurt,” Yves says. “You should think about that.” 

Yves’ tone is bitter and judgmental, and Kim Lip should be pissed off, but instead she feels deflated, like a balloon with all its helium let out. Yves’ words hurt, because Yves is _right._ If Kim Lip was a better friend - a better person - she would have said no when Jiwoo asked to help with Slayer stuff. Kim Lip is the chosen one, and the forces of darkness are her responsibility. They’re her crosses to bear, and no one else’s. 

She thinks of this one lesson with Jinsoul, when Jinsoul told her most Slayers don’t live past their early twenties. _But don’t let that scare you,_ Jinsoul had said. _Most Slayers don’t have friends, either._

But as long as Kim Lip is the Slayer, any friend she has is automatically put in danger. That means not just Jiwoo, but Jinsoul and Choerry, too. The thought puts a pit in Kim Lip’s stomach. How could she have been so foolish? How could she not have seen that the only way to do this was to do it alone? 

She turns away from Yves without saying goodbye. Abandons the daisies on a bench. Jiwoo will be fine without them. As long as Kim Lip isn’t in her life, Jiwoo will be fine. 

Kim Lip has made her mind up, and there’s no turning back now. 

She’ll fight Lupina on her own.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is the end! thanks for coming on this journey with me. this story is very near and dear to my heart.

Kim Lip should have known she would only be able to get away with skipping training a few days in a row before Jinsoul caught wind that something was off. 

That doesn’t make this any easier, though. 

“Where have you been?” Jinsoul asks, cornering Kim Lip by her locker. “We were supposed to go patrolling last night, and you didn’t show up.” In the hallway, Jinsoul could easily pass for a high school student. Her voice carries, and Kim Lip wonders if the group of sophomores a few feet away can hear her. 

“I’m not doing training anymore,” Kim Lip says, continuing to put books in her backpack to avoid Jinsoul’s gaze. “I quit.”

Jinsoul sighs. “I know it’s difficult, but you can’t _quit_ being the Slayer-”

“I’m not quitting being the Slayer, I’m quitting _training._ From now on, I work alone.” 

The look on Jinsoul's face is so incredulous that Kim Lip almost wishes she could snap a picture. In any other context, it would be funny. “Excuse me, I don’t think I heard you correctly. You didn’t say work _alone_ , did you?”

“No, that’s correct.”

“But the Council _forbids-_

“Tell the Council I’m going rogue.” Kim Lip zips her backpack shut. 

“You-you can’t go rogue,” Jinsoul stutters, following behind as Kim Lip starts walking down the hall. 

“Yes, I can,” Kim Lip says, walking faster. “I’m not putting anyone else in danger. Slaying is my responsibility. Thanks for the help, but I’m good now.” 

They spill out into the parking lot. Kim Lip fumbles for the keys to the truck. “You’re making a mistake,” Jinsoul says.

“No, I’m really not.” 

“What do you want me to tell Choerry?”

Kim Lip feels a pang in her chest at the younger girl’s name, but she has to stay indifferent if she wants to get through this. “Tell her I’m doing this for her safety.” She climbs into the driver’s seat and turns the key. “Good bye, Jinsoul.” 

Kim Lip pulls out of the parking spot. When she looks through the rearview mirror, Jinsoul still hasn’t moved. Kim Lip pushes aside the guilt in her chest. She’s tired of it. 

It’s the day of the full moon. A few hours until Lupina will attempt to “swallow the world whole,” as the vampire said in the graveyard that one day. Kim Lip is the only thing that stands between the world and total destruction. And yet, here she is, pacing her bedroom floor and wondering what the hell she’s going to wear.

Look, she’s never claimed to have her priorities in check. 

She examines her options, laid out on her bed: it’s either leggings and a tank top for agility, or her leather jacket with matching leather pants for protection. She’s leaning towards the latter, although she isn’t sure how much protection it will actually provide against an evil demon, when she hears a knock on her door. 

It’s her mom, who sticks her head through the crack in the doorway. “Hey, just wanted to check on you, Lippie.” 

“I’m fine, Mom,” Kim Lip says. “Still in one piece, as you can tell.” She would never in a million years tell her parents about Slayer business, because she knows they wouldn’t be able to handle it. There’s so much she can’t tell them, and it weighs on her. 

Her mom looks at her feet, a little embarrassed. “I just...I know being a teenager is hard. And you always handle everything that comes your way so well. Your father and I are proud of you.”

Suddenly, Kim Lip wants to cry. She has no idea where this heart-to-heart is coming from, but it makes her chest feel full of both tenderness and guilt. _I’m sorry I’m always putting my life at risk,_ she wants to say. _I’m sorry for keeping so many things from you. I’m sorry I can’t show you everything. I’m doing it for your own good._

But all she can manage is, “Thanks. I try.” 

“I know you do, honey,” her mom pulls her into a hug. “I know you do.” 

When her mother leaves, shutting the door behind her, Kim Lip stands barefoot on her carpet, frozen. 

Then, out of nowhere, she hears the sound of someone slow-clapping behind her. A chill runs up her spine. She turns around. 

Standing in her bedroom is Lupina, in the flesh. 

“That was touching,” Lupina says, voice dripping with sarcasm. Her eyes are glowing red, and Kim Lip can tell her power is surging. There’s a force around her that seems impenetrable. If this is what she’s like now, Kim Lip can only imagine what she’ll be like tomorrow, once the full moon has risen. 

But Kim Lip is the Slayer. She has to put on a brave face, no matter what. “I thought our showdown would be tonight, when the moon is out. I didn’t take you for a daylight creature.” 

“Oh, I’m not one,” Lupina says. “And I’m not here for a showdown.” 

“Then why are you here?” Kim Lip asks. “How did you even get _in_ here?” 

“I’m an all-powerful demon, honey. I have my ways.” 

Kim Lip scans her room for some means of self-defense. Her chest, which is full of stakes, crosses, and holy water, is too far out-of-reach. Plus, those tools are for use against vampires, not demons. She swallows. She knows she made the choice to fight Lupina on her own, but she still has yet to figure out _how._

Left with no other choice, she reaches for her swiss army knife, which is sitting on her vanity table. She feels almost silly as she whips out one of the tiny blades, pointing it towards Lupina. “Then let me ask you another question. Why aren’t you trying to kill me?” 

Lupina barks out a laugh. “I’m not here to fight you, Slayer. Not yet, anyway. I’m here to warn you.”

“Then get it over with,” Kim Lip says. Cautiously, she lowers the knife.

“Your friends are in danger,” Lupina says plainly. “You were stupid and selfish to abandon them. And now, it’s almost too late.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” Kim Lip asks. She takes a step forward. “And what do you mean it’s almost too late?” 

In response, Lupina just laughs. Even after she disappears, in a burst of red magic, Kim Lip can still hear her laughing. Kim Lip wants to cry, and her shoulders shake, so she knows she’s close. The whole reason she decided to set out on her own was so her friends would be safe. If they’re in danger, that means she really did fail. At everything. 

She looks up, staring at the spot where Lupina stood, only a moment ago. Who’s to say that Lupina wasn’t just trying to get in her head? Why would Lupina tell _her_ the truth, anyway? 

Quickly, she reaches for her phone and dials Jinsoul’s number. Jinsoul picks up on the second ring. “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me,” she says, voice short and curt. 

“Are you safe?” Kim Lip asks, ignoring Jinsoul’s tone. 

“Um, yes, I’m safe,” Jinsoul says. “Choerry is with me. We’re just doing some practice spells. She’s gotten really good, but you don’t care about that, do you?” 

Kim Lip pushes aside the guilt that floods her body and cuts right to the chase. “Olivia visited me. She says my friends are in danger. I had to check.”

“We’re fine,” Jinsoul says. There’s a silence that follows, and Kim Lip can sense Jinsoul wanting to say something else, but holding herself back for whatever reason. 

“What is it, Jinsoul?”

“It’s just...um. Have you checked on Jiwoo?”

Suddenly, Kim Lip’s vision is blurry. The floor beneath her starts to give out. Her breath catches in her throat, her hands shake. 

_Jiwoo._

Jiwoo, who is lying defenseless, injured in a hospital bed. Jiwoo, who is closer to Kim Lip’s heart than anyone. 

“I have to go,” Kim Lip stutters. Right before she hangs up, she hears Jinsoul shout, _be safe!_

Outside, the sky is a pale shade of gray. Ominous. The moon lurks on the horizon, and Kim Lip scowls in it. _Rise slower,_ she wants to scream. _I need more time._

She drives her truck to the hospital at a breakneck speed. When she gets there, she crookedly parks her car between two spots. She doesn’t have the time to fix it, so she uses Slayer strength to push the vehicle back over the line. She hopes no one sees. And if they do, she hopes they know not to mess with her. 

Kim Lip races through the hospital doors and past the visitor sign-in desk, ignoring the nurse who yells at her to come back. She refuses to slow down until she finds Jiwoo’s room. 

She doesn’t know what she expects to see when she pulls the curtain to the entrance back. She expects vampires, or maybe Lupina herself, towering over Jiwoo’s bed, fangs inches from her neck. 

Instead, she just sees Jiwoo: sitting calmly in bed, doing a crossword puzzle. 

“Jungie!” Jiwoo says. “I like your pants!” 

Kim Lip glances down - she had gone with the black leather - and blushes. Then, she remembers there’s a situation at hand. “You’re okay?” 

“Of course I’m okay,” Jiwoo says. “I mean, I still can’t walk without crutches, but the doctors say I’m getting better by the day.” 

“That’s great, Jiwoo, but not what I meant,” Kim Lip says. “You haven’t seen any vamps around here, have you?”

“Vampires? No, of course not,” Jiwoo says. “I mean, unless you count the overnight staff.” 

Something tugs at the back of Kim Lip’s mind, something that feels bigger than herself. If Jiwoo is safe, why does Kim Lip sense danger? “What about demons?” she asks, because everything still feels _wrong._

“No, no demons either. Are you okay, Jungie? You look kind of...sick.” 

Kim Lip closes her eyes. She remembers one of Jinsoul’s earlier lessons about Slayer abilities. _A Slayer should be able to hone in on danger without having to see it. She should be able to sense vampires, no matter how far. This is a power you will be able to tap into, when you are ready._

Jinsoul’s words repeat over and over in Kim Lip’s mind. She squeezes her eyes shut, and tries to lean in to that mysterious spirituality that occasionally vibrates through her body, whenever she kills a vamp or uses her strength in a particularly meaningful way. She focuses and focuses, with all the strength she has, until suddenly … she _sees._

The vision is brief, but certain. A crowd of vampires, clustered around the entrance of a sketchy-looking motel room, trying to break in. Kim Lip can’t see for certain, but somehow she _knows._ Jinsoul and Choerry are in that motel room. 

She has to go. She has to help them. Now. 

Out of nowhere, one of the nurses appears by her side, seemingly out-of-breath. “You can’t be back here unless you sign in, Miss.”  
  
“It’s okay, I was just leaving,” Kim Lip says. 

“Wait!” Jiwoo exclaims. She pushes her covers to the side, and reaches for the crutches that lay against the wall next to her bed. Jiwoo moves herself forward until she’s right in front of Kim Lip. Then, she leans in and kisses Kim Lip on the cheek. 

“Good luck,” Jiwoo whispers. “Stay alive for me.” 

Kim Lip blinks, a little stunned. “I’ll try.” 

Despite only having a blurry vision to go off of, Kim Lip somehow manages to find the motel. It’s on the sketchier side of town, where she used to hang out when she was building up her edgy loner persona freshman year. It’s practically dark by the time she pulls into the parking lot, and the thought makes her nervous. 

There’s only one vampire lurking outside the door that was in Kim Lip’s vision. Kim Lip squares her shoulders, stabs the vampire in the chest, and hopes she isn’t too late. 

When she turns the doorknob, it swings open easily. 

Inside, a horror movie is unfolding. Choerry stands on a chair, attempting to beat off two vamps with a rolling pin. Jinsoul, meanwhile, is in the midst of the action, taking on four vampires at once. Jinsoul is a good fighter, but this matchup would be unfair for anyone. She looks exhausted, and there’s a cut on her arm that Kim Lip doesn’t want to think about. 

So instead, she makes her presence known. “Why didn’t you tell me you were having a party?”

At the sound of her voice, everyone, including the vamps, looks up. Relief flashes on Choerry’s face, and Jinsoul wipes the sweat from her brow. “About time you showed up.” 

“I agree,” Kim Lip says, grabbing her stake from her boot. Immediately, she joins the action, taking out two of the vampires in a matter of seconds. Jinsoul lets out a cry of joy, and in a burst of newfound strength, charges at another one of the vamps. Kim Lip stabs the remaining vamp that was on Jinsoul. Through the sudden cloud of dust, she sees the two that were cornering Choerry, now facing her. 

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Kim Lip says. One of the vamps bares its teeth. The other charges towards her. “Hard way it is.” 

She lands a kick to one of their stomachs, and the vamp doubles over. She elbows the other one in the throat before jabbing her stake in its chest. The one she kicked, a female, lets out a snarl. Kim Lip punches her in the face before reaching for her cross and pressing it into the vamp’s neck. It’s a painful death, but there’s rage coursing through Kim Lip’s veins. “That’s for Choerry,” she says, as the vampire turns to dust. “ _Bitch._ ” 

On the other side of the room, Jinsoul finally delivers the killing blow to the beast she was fighting. She lets out a cry of victory, before collapsing on the motel bed. Choerry daintily steps off the chair and runs to the kitchen, coming back with a bowl of water and a washcloth. 

“We need to clean that wound,” Choerry says, pressing the washcloth against Jinsoul’s injury. Jinsoul winces. Kim Lip looks away. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” Jinsoul says. “Stop that.”

“But if I was here sooner-”

“You came. That’s all that matters.” 

Kim Lip sits down on the chair where Choerry had been standing only moments ago. “You really live here, huh?” 

Jinsoul shrugs. “Me being in town wasn’t about me. It was about you.” 

That doesn’t do anything to make Kim Lip feel better. “I’m sorry,” she says, because what else is there to say? “I shouldn’t have abandoned my training. I should have stayed by your side. We’re a team.”

A small smile appears on Jinsoul’s face. “Thanks for saying that, Lip.” 

“As much as I love everything going on here,” Choerry says, “don’t we still have a moon demon to worry about?” 

Jinsoul and Kim Lip turn to look at her. Kim Lip’s stomach sinks. 

Lupina. Of _course._

She thinks about Lupina visiting her earlier that day, and the vague warning about her friends being in danger. It had all been a trap. An obvious one. And Kim Lip walked right into it. 

She’s so, so _stupid._

“We have to go,” she stutters out, rising out of the chair. “We have to…” she glances out the window, where the moon is almost at its highest point in the sky. “If it’s not too late, that is.” She buries her head in her hands. Her focus should have been on Lupina from the very start. 

“Hey,” Jinsoul says. “It’s not too late. Choerry has a plan. But we need you to show up for it.” 

Kim Lip looks up. Even though the urge to mope is strong, she knows Jinsoul is right. So she does her best to push the uncomfortable feelings aside. She has a chance to be here for her team, now.

“Right,” Kim Lip says. She turns to Choerry. “So what’s your plan?” 

“I’ve been reading, and I think the only way to truly defeat Lupina would be to perform an exorcism,” Choerry says. “But I’d need you to distract her.” 

“Do you think you can really do it?” Kim Lip asks. She knows she hasn’t been paying attention for a while, but the last time she checked in on Choerry’s magic, the girl was struggling to turn a looking glass into a slice of cake. 

But Choerry is confident when she nods. “I do.” 

“Then I’m in,” Kim Lip says. She has a duty, after all. 

They make their way to the abandoned house where they first met Lupina. On the way, they stop at Choerry’s house. “For supplies,” the younger girl says. 

She reemerges carrying a pillowcase full of herbs, candles, a book, and a small wolf figurine. “We need something to trap the spirit,” Choerry explains. “I bought it at the magic shop downtown.”

“There’s a magic shop downtown?” 

“Of course,” Choerry says. “I mean, it’s not like this town is normal.” 

Kim Lip laughs at that, because in some situations, that’s all there is to do. 

“Are you sure Lupina will be here?” Jinsoul says, turning onto the right street. As they pull up, Kim Lip sees that the house is glowing from the inside with red and silver light.

“I’m pretty sure she’s here,” Kim Lip says. Jinsoul snorts. 

When they approach the house, they can hear humming coming from the inside. It’s ominous and strikes Kim Lip deep in her stomach. 

“I’ll set up in here,” Choerry says, nonchalantly sitting down in the middle of what was once the living room like there isn’t a potentially world-ending demon ritual going on upstairs. “Hopefully the proximity will be close enough.”  
  
“Right,” Jinsoul says, facing Kim Lip. “I’m coming with you.”

“No, you’re not.” 

“Yes, I _am._ You need backup.”

“You’re injured,” Kim Lip says, gesturing to Jinsoul’s arm. But Jinsoul doesn’t budge. So she changes her angle. “You should stay down here and guard Choerry. She needs you more than I do right now.” 

“I know you’re just trying to pacify me,” Jinsoul says. “But fine. You’re lucky I’m soft for the kid.” 

“Not a kid,” Choerry says, busy arranging the candles in some kind of pentagram shape.

A shaft of moonlight shines through one of the cracked windows, illuminating the room in fragmented silver shards. It would be pretty if it didn’t mean Lupina was growing more powerful by the second. “Okay,” Jinsoul says. “It’s time.” 

Kim Lip heads upstairs. 

Lupina is in the same room she was before, except this time, she’s alone. No vampire henchmen surrounding her. For a brief moment, she looks innocent - like she’s the high school girl whose body she stole. Then her eyes land on Kim Lip, and her mouth bends into a stomach-churning grin. 

“You’re too late, Slayer,” she says. 

“Oh yeah?” Kim Lip grabs her dagger from where it’s strapped inside her leather jacket. “Try me.” 

And so they fight. Kim Lip doing her best with a knife, and Lupina using magic. Kim Lip finds her body thrown against the walls of the room once, twice, and then three times. She braces herself using Slayer strength, but she knows she’ll be covered in bruises in the morning. Still, she doesn’t give up. Lupina is exceptionally strong, but so is Kim Lip, and she’s not trying to win. She’s trying to stall. She just has to keep _going._

So she does. Every time Lupina flings Kim Lip up in the air and then against a hard surface, Kim Lip gets back up, swinging her dagger. By the fifth time it happens, her lip is bleeding, and Lupina lets out a high-pitched cackle. “I’m having fun, Slayer. But isn’t it time you admit you’re outmatched and let me ascend already?” 

“Not quite,” Kim Lip stutters out, diving in again. 

They carry on like that, with Kim Lip fighting and fighting with everything she has. The corners of her vision are blurry. She’s starting to stumble more often. And then Lupina sends a particularly forceful blast of magic her way, and she goes sliding backwards and slams against the door to the room, hitting her head against the doorknob. 

The pain is sharp, splitting. She closes her eyes, trying her best to stay focused, but it’s _hard._ It’s so hard. She can feel herself going weaker, her human side winning out over her Slayer side. 

And then she remembers Jiwoo’s words - _stay alive for me._ And she knows this can’t be the end. 

She opens her eyes. Lupina is standing over her, that twisted grin back on her face. Kim Lip tenses herself, preparing for the force to come. 

Then, suddenly, there’s a burst of purple light, and everything changes. 

Lupina collapses onto the ground, except she isn’t Lupina anymore. There’s a look of confusion on her face as she glances around at her surroundings. “What- where am I?” 

Kim Lip feels realization, and then a rush of relief to her chest, and then, an awareness of the physical pain in her body from being thrown across the room so many times. But she can’t bring herself to feel any sort of resentment towards the young girl in front of her. “Hi, Olivia,” she says. “You probably have a lot of questions. We’ll do our best to answer them. But just know you’re safe now.” 

“Um, cool,” the girl says. She gives Kim Lip a once-over. “What about _you?_ You look hurt.” 

Kim Lip wants to laugh. It’s almost funny. “I’ll explain later.” 

When they walk downstairs, the first thing Kim Lip hears is Choerry letting out a celebratory cheer. “I _knew_ it worked. I knew it! I knew it!” 

“You’re incredible, Choerry,” Jinsoul says, pulling the younger girl into an embrace. Then her eyes fall on Kim Lip, covered in cuts and bruises, and her face shifts. “Jesus Christ. What happened to you?”

Kim Lip shrugs. “Fought a demon. But I’m okay now.” She eyes the wolf figurine, surrounded by candles on the floor. “Is she really inside that thing?” 

“Yep.” Choerry picks up the figurine and casually drops it into the pillow case. “I guess we’ll just keep it, until we find a way to get rid of it.” She turns towards Olivia. “I couldn’t have done it without your help, by the way.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Olivia says. Her face is still scrunched up in confusion. “But will one of you explain to me what _happened_?” 

“We’ll answer all your questions in the car,” Jinsoul says. “We need to drop our Slayer off at the hospital.”  
  
Kim Lip lets out a whine of protest. “Oh _come on!_ I have healing abilities! I’ll be fine!”

Jinsoul shakes her head. “Head injuries are serious business. It’s worth getting it checked out.” She smirks. “Besides, you’ll get to see Jiwoo.”

Kim Lip rolls her eyes. “Okay. If you insist _.”_

The car ride to the hospital is peacefully quiet, like a breath of relief. Kim Lip stares out the window, where the first rays of dawn are starting to peek over the horizon. 

Jinsoul starts humming mindlessly, and Choerry joins in. Kim Lip closes her eyes. She knows the fight with Lupina won’t be the only time she’ll have to come face to face with the end of the world. It’s just her duty, another part of the insane life she never asked for. 

“We’re kind of killing these harmonies,” Jinsoul jokes. “Lip, want to join in?”  
  
Despite everything, Kim Lip smiles. She knows she’ll never have to face oblivion alone. 

Kim Lip doesn’t have a concussion, which she counts as a victory. After such a day, it’s important to celebrate the good news. She’s trying not to hold herself back, for once. 

The doctors say she can leave after she signs some paperwork, so she takes a minute to try and relax in the uncomfortable hospital bed. Even though she knows it will go away soon, her whole body aches.

There’s a knock outside the curtained entryway. “Come in,” Kim Lip calls. 

“Hey,” Jiwoo says, poking her head in. She’s still using the crutches, Kim Lip notices with a slight pang. “Jinsoul said you were in here.” 

“Here I am.” 

“You stayed alive,” Jiwoo says, a small smile on her achingly pretty face. 

“For you,” Kim Lip says. “I did it for you.” 

“You’re too sweet, Kim Lip.” 

All of a sudden, Kim Lip can’t look at her. “You know, you can keep calling me Jungie, if you really want to.” 

“Good. Because I wasn’t planning on stopping.”  
  
Jiwoo makes her way further into the room, sitting on the edge of Kim Lip’s bed. They settle into a comfortable silence, looking at each other. Then Jiwoo speaks. 

“I heard about what happened earlier. How you left, and tried to take on Olivia by yourself.” Jiwoo mindlessly toys with the hospital sheets, twisting them between her fingers. “You’re so brave, Jungie. But you know, the people who love you...we want to help you.”

“I know that now,” Kim Lip says. “But after you got hurt, I was so worried. I care about you so much. I don’t know what I would do if…,” her voice trails off, a lump suddenly caught in her throat. “If it happened again.” 

Jiwoo nods, slowly. Then, she’s leaning in closer. “You know, you don’t have to treat me with kid gloves,” she says. “I’m a big girl. I can handle myself. And I want to fight your demons with you.” 

“You don’t get it,” Kim Lip says, looking down. Her cheeks are flushing, because Jiwoo is so _close_ all of a sudden. “You’re so special to me.” 

“I know,” Jiwoo whispers. She’s close, close, closer. “You’re special to me too.”

And then she’s leaning in, and pressing her mouth against Kim Lip’s. The kiss is tender and delicate and perfect, and for a second, Kim Lip forgets they’re in a hospital bed. She forgets her name and role and responsibilities. She’s just floating, weightless, with the most amazing girl in the world. Her best friend. 

“So, you saved the world,” Jiwoo says, pulling away. “Can I call you my hero?” 

“No, but you can call me your girlfriend.” 

Jiwoo lets out a shocked giggle, and whacks Kim Lip playfully on the arm. “ _Smooth._ I wasn’t expecting that from you.” 

Kim Lip grins. “I’m full of surprises.” 

Then they’re kissing again, more intensely this time, and Kim Lip feels the lump in her throat start to alleviate. She doesn’t know what evil tomorrow will bring. But with Jiwoo and her friends by her side, she knows she can face it. She just has a feeling. 

It takes more time than usual for Kim Lip’s injuries to heal. But she’s still the Slayer, which means after a few weeks, she’s well enough to be back at school. Glancing around the hallway, Kim Lip sees students gossiping, complaining, studying for tests last-minute. It’s almost painfully normal. Kim Lip doesn’t know why, but she expected something to change after the world came close to ending almost a month ago. But no. High school is still high school. 

Maybe it’s just a sign she’s good at her job. 

“Hey babe, you ready?” Jiwoo appears out of nowhere, slipping an arm around Kim Lip’s waist. “Time for Slayer practice.” 

“Don’t call it that,” Kim Lip says, rolling her eyes. But she’s content to follow Jiwoo to the library, where the team is waiting for them. 

“Finally, you guys are here!” Jinsoul exclaims. She looks much more well-rested lately, ever since she’d moved out of the motel and into a small apartment downtown. “We have urgent business. Someone needs our help.”  
  
Kim Lip’s eyes fall on the girl sitting awkwardly at one of the tables. “ _Yves?”_ she sputters. The girl had softened up to Kim Lip after her and Jiwoo went public with their relationship, but Kim Lip never expected to see her at one of their meetings. 

“Yves says there’s been some weird supernatural activity in her neighborhood,” Choerry says, already flipping through one of Jinsoul’s giant leather-bound books. “Rumor has it, you guys deal with that kind of stuff,” Yves says. 

Kim Lip exchanges glances with Jiwoo, Choerry, and Jinsoul. It’s been weeks since the defeat of Lupina, and things have been a little too dull since then. It’s time for a new challenge. They’re ready. 

“You’ve come to the right place. How can we help?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos are always appreciated!!! xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are always appreciated!! xoxo


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